Fubara yet to apologise – Wike rules out reconciliation with estranged godson

Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, has ruled out any immediate reconciliation with his estranged godson and suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara. Wike’s remark followed a recent appeal by former militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, who urged the warring parties to settle their dispute for the sake of Rivers State. Tompolo, who admitted that he would not tolerate rebellion from his beneficiaries, appealed to the FCT Minister to soften his stance and seek reconciliation with Fubara. “And just like I will not accept rebellion from my son, I will also not cause more problems. Wike is angry, but he has to bring his temper down for the good of all. We will have a dialogue and resolve all lingering issues, and again Fubara will return to his seat,” the Niger Delta leader stated. ALSO READ: Emergency Rule: NBA accused of not fighting enough to protect democracy in Rivers Wike rejects Tompolo’s call However, reacting through his media aide, Lere Olayinka, the former Rivers Governor argued that forgiveness requires an acknowledgment of wrongdoing and a direct plea for pardon, neither of which Fubara has done. Olayinka stressed that the suspended Governor has not approached Wike for forgiveness, nor has the latter offended the minister personally. “There is no offence. It is when somebody has offended you personally that you are talking about the person seeking forgiveness or whatever. As Christians, let’s now assume that Fubara has offended the minister. Do you forgive someone who has not come to you to seek forgiveness? “The person who has wronged you must first agree that in his mind he has wronged you. Let’s assume that Fubara has offended the minister, has he come to seek forgiveness? I’m not saying there is an offence and there should be forgiveness, but he has not even come for forgiveness,” he said in a statement. There have been public suggestions that the feud between the duo was caused by the Minister’s insatiable quest to control Rivers State’s resources, but Olayinka debunked the claim, insisting that Wike’s concerns were rooted in governance principles rather than personal. “The minister has never said that Fubara offended him personally. He only said that Fubara should govern in accordance with the rule of law and that Fubara should not throw away those who risked their lives and resources—and that is not too much to ask. He said, ‘Those who worked to make you governor, don’t throw them away like that’. So, that is not about forgiveness. If there is one person Fubara would say he has offended, it should be the president. ALSO READ: Fubara’s gigantic billboard vandalised by Rivers youths “He is the one to go for soul-searching because throughout the time he was working with this same Wike, throughout the time Wike was facing the bullet for him, Wike was not a bad person then. So, at what point did Wike become a bad person to him? He should ask himself. When did Wike become somebody that Fubara would be so bold as to tell him that he would deal with him? At what point?” “It’s like asking a doctor to prescribe medicine for a sick person, but not convincing the sick person to take it. What’s the result?,” Olayinka concluded with a proverb.